Instagram Worthy Pies Near Florence’s Train Station

Once upon a time (back in 2011) I wrote a 13 part series for this blog about pizza in Italy. When I returned to Italy in 2016 (on my honeymoon), I reviewed a lone pizzeria in Puglia. So I was excited to try at least a few new places this summer, during my first trip back to Italy in nearly a decade. My trip started in Florence and on day two, I visited Giotto Pizzeria Firenze (Via Panzani, 57) which has two locations in the city, including one that is a five minute walk from the main train station. While there are many historic pizzerias in Italy, this is not one of them. Giotto opened its doors a few years ago and focuses on modern Neapolitan style pies.

Despite some pretty impressive accolades, the pizzeria is still relatively under the radar (it has just 1,100 Instagram followers, which is surprising given how photogenic its pies are).

What’s Unique? In the middle of a heatwave, I’ll be honest… the restaurant’s strong air conditioning was much appreciated. Who cares where they source their tomatoes from when ducts are blowing cold air in your face!

I digress…

The pizzeria has garnered some strong accolades recently, including being named one of the 50 best in Italy. So I figured it was worth a visit.

What To Eat? The English menu was divided into three sections: “The Gourmet” (featuring two pies: a “Carbonara 2.0” w/ bacon and black truffle, and a “Bistecca” w/ beef carpaccio), “The Most Loved” (featuring seven pies) and “The Classics” (featuring eight options).

With food prices soaring in the United States, I was excited to see a reasonably priced Margherita pie (€9 euro or approximately $10.50). We also ordered a pie called Ænaria, a confounding name which seems to pay tribute to an ancient island. It featured more easily pronounceable ingredients like mozzarella, parm, some tomato reduction sauces, pesto and olive oil. It was only one additional euro (€10) and was both tasty and beautiful. Sometimes pies this beautiful don’t live up to the hype. But it was truly delicious. I didn’t try the “Gourmet Pies” on this visit, but had I been dining with a larger group, the pies would have warranted a taste.

What To Know Before You Go? The restaurant is particularly spacious and around lunchtime on a weekday was about half full. Each pie is clearly labeled with an icon stipulating whether it is vegetarian and whether it contains pork. There are also gluten free and dairy free options for a slight surcharge. For anyone with dietary restrictions, allergies or food preferences, this is your spot (although the top of the menu does feature the following disclaimer in underlined, bold, all caps text: IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE DISHES ON THE MENU).

The pies that I tried did not need any changes.

Instagram Worthy Pies Near Florence’s Train Station

Once upon a time (back in 2011) I wrote a 13 part series for this blog about pizza in Italy. When I returned to Italy in 2016 (on my honeymoon), I reviewed a lone pizzeria in Puglia. So I was excited to try at least a few new places this summer, during my first trip …